Abbey Beer Itinerary

Today, there remain 6 Trappist monastery breweries in Belgium where monks produce beers of excellence using simple, genuine ingredients and recipes passed down through the centuries.

Discover the intense flavours and aromas of Abbey beers, their body and complexity, whilst exploring wonderful corners of Belgium. Largely unfiltered and unpasteurised, these beers contain yeasts that allow them to mature even after bottling.

As with all other Trappist breweries, beer is sold solely to financially support the monastery and certain other charitable causes.

Day One: Brussels

Head to Brussels and discover Belgium’s magnificent capital. On the first day, you can begin familiarising yourself with the flavours of Belgian cuisine and the aromas of its beers.

Day Two: Rochefort

Collect your hire car and head to Rochefort, home to one of the 3 abbeys in the Walloon region. This medieval town lies 110 kilometres from Belgium’s capital, whilst Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy Abbey, where beer has been brewed since 1595 using water from a well within the monastery, is just 3 kilometres from the town centre.

The beers produced are:

• Rochefort 6, 7.5% ABV, reddish colour and slightly bitter;
• Rochefort 8, 9.2% ABV, brown colour and slightly fruity;
• Rochefort 10, 11.3% ABV, reddish-brown colour.

Day Three: Orval

Set off early towards Orval Abbey, 85 kilometres south in the Ardennes near the French border. The Orval Brewery was established in 1931 to finance the reconstruction works of Orval. The distinctive pin-shaped bottle was designed both to be eye-catching and to retain the yeast sediment when the beer is poured.

The brewery produces two Trappist beers:

• Orval Trappist Ale, 6.2% ABV, pale colour, slightly cloudy and very foamy;
• Petite Orval, 3.5% ABV, available at the monastery or the neighbouring establishment.

Day Four: Chimay

Travel north-west for 114 kilometres to reach Chimay; the journey will be shorter if you pass through French territory and the town of Charleville-Mézières. Once there, sample the beers produced at Notre-Dame de Scourmont, brewed with water, barley malt, wheat starch, sugar, hops and yeast extract.

The beers, all top-fermented, are:

• Chimay Red, 7% ABV, brown colour, slightly sweet and fruity;
• Chimay Blue, 9% ABV, dark, slightly bitter;
• Chimay Triple, 8% ABV, light orange colour, dry and hoppy taste;
• Chimay Gold, 4.8% ABV, pure barley malt and slightly spicy, can only be enjoyed at the nearby inn Auberge de Poteaupré.

Days Five and Six: Bruges and Westvleteren

Reach the beautiful city of Bruges, 200 kilometres away, and admire the medieval historic centre, entirely protected by UNESCO. The following morning, take a day trip to the Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren brewery, 50 minutes’ drive away.

The brewery produces 3 types of beer:

• Trappist Westvleteren Blonde, 5.8% ABV, lager;
• Trappist Westvleteren Otto, 8% ABV, brown colour;
• Trappist Westvleteren Twelve, 10.2% ABV, dark brown. The bottles have no labels.

Day Seven: Westmalle

Head to Westmalle, 30 kilometres north-east of Antwerp, and stop at Cafè Trappisten tavern on the abbey’s outskirts.

The brewery produces three beers:

• Westmalle Dubbel, 7% ABV, reddish-brown colour, fruity and slightly bitter;
• Westmalle Tripel, 9.5% ABV, pale, fruity with a long finish;
• Westmalle Extra, 5% ABV, very limited availability.

Day Eight: Achel

Continue to Achel, near the Dutch border, 70 kilometres from Westmalle, to Sint-Benedictusabdij de Achelse Kluis monastery, the final stop on your Abbey beer itinerary.

The main beers are:

• Achel Blonde, 8% ABV, white;
• Achel Brune, 10% ABV, brown;
• Achel Extra, 9.5% ABV, black.

Days Nine and Ten: Return to Brussels

Return to Brussels, visit the city, spend the night and depart the following day.

Belgian Beers

Belgium is a paradise for beer lovers.

Rooted in the country’s culture—and one of the world’s largest exporters—beer has a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Whether you’re in Brussels, Bruges, Antwerp, Ostend, Ghent or other Belgian cities, you’ll find outstanding products to sample.

During your trip, you can choose from over 700 beers, produced in abbeys, castles, farms, monasteries or modern breweries, with diverse flavours: strong, light, fruity, sweet, bitter, complex and more. If you enjoy reds, try those from Flanders; if you prefer ambers, taste those from Oudenaarde; and if you love wheat beers, try the brewery in Hoegaarden.

Belgium is home to 6 types of Trappist beers, that is, beers produced within monasteries by monks, and similar beers marketed as Abbey beers.

Many Belgian beers are served in distinctive beer glasses: their shape enhances the beer’s flavour and they are designed specifically for the purpose. Visit one of over 100 breweries where the century-old brewing halls are veritable museums of craftsmanship, or take part in beer festivals found in every corner of the country.